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AN ADDRESS 



QUARTERLY, MONTHLY AND PREPARATIVE MEETINGS, 
AND THE MEMBERS THEREOF, 

COMPOSING THE 

YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS, 

HELD IN PHILADELPHIA, 



BY THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED AT THE LATE YEARLY MEETING, 
TO HAVE CHARGE OF THE 



SUBJECT OF SLAVERY. 



1839. 



£¥4 ., 



At a meeting of the Acting Committee of " The New -York 
Association of Friends for the rehef of those held in bondage, and 
the improvement of the free people of color," held 9th mo. 3d, 
1839. 

" An Address to the Quarterly, Monthly and Preparative 
Meetings, and the Members thereof, composing the Yearly Meet- 
ing of Friends, held in Philadelphia, by the Committee appointed 
at the late Yearly Meeting, to have charge of the subject of 
Slavery," was now produced ; and it is believed that its deeply 
interesting contents would have a beneficial effect, if it was gene- 
rally diffused among our members : — it was therefore, on considera- 
tion, agreed to have 1000 copies printed for distribution. 

Extracted from the minutes, 

Samuel Brown, 



Sarah H. Marshall, ^ 



§ 



^' 



Minutes of the Yearly Meeting of Men and Women 
Friends, appointing the Co?nmittee to have charge 
of the subject of Slavery. 

Seventeenth of the 5th mo. 1839. 
" A concern being spread before this meeting on 
subjects connected with the welfare of the people 
of color, both bond and free ; and it being believed 
that an advantage would arise not only to that 
deeply injured people, but also to those who hold 
them in bondage, as well as to the support of our 
Christian testimony against Slavery, from the ap- 
pointment of a Committee tu take charge of the 
subject generally ; upon consideration, a Committee 
of four Friends from each Quarterly Meeting was 
appointed, to unite with women Friends in attend- 
ing to the concern as way may open, and to report 
to our next iTearly Meeting." 

Extracted from the Minutes, 

Benjamin Pkice, Jr., Clerk. 

" By a deputation from the men's meeting, we 
are informed that the deeply interesting subject of 
Slavery, in its various aspects, has claimed its atten- 



tion, and that the exercise produced thereby has 
resulted in a beUef that it will conduce to the benefit 
of our Society, and the aavancement of its testimony 
in this respect, to appoint a Committee to have charge 
of this concern the ensuing year ; much unity has 
been expressed with it in this meeting, and a Com- 
mittee was appointed to unite with our brethren 
therein." 

Extracted from the Minutes of the Yearly Meet- 
ing of women Friends, 

Deborah F. Wharton, Clerh, 



ADDRESS 



Dear Fhiends, 

In accordance with the object of our appoint- 
ment, we feel engaged affectionately to address you. 
In referring to the history of our Religious Society, 
from its rise to the present day, abundant evidence 
is given that it was called to maintain Christian tes- 
timonies, which are eminently designed to exalt the 
standard of truth and righteousness, and to promote 
the present and everlasting welfare of the human 
family. Yet, on the very threshold of this subject, 
we are arrested with a fact, calculated to clothe us 
with an humbling evidence of human weakness, 
and to inculcate a lesson of charity. J\lany of our 
forefathers were slave-holders, and the unrighteous 
practice of holding our fellow-creatures in bondage, 
was not then forbidden by our discipline. 

In process of time, individuals were raised up in 
the Society, who saw with clearness the injustice 
1* 



and cruelty of this practice, and endeavored to con- 
vince their brethren. Among these we find An- 
thony Benezet and John Woohnan. The calm and 
cogent reasoning of the latter, as manifested in his 
appeal to slave-holders, must have exerted a pow- 
erful influence. He addressed his "Considerations" 
to the understanding and inward sense of right, 
aiming to reach the judgment and awaken the con- 
science, being clothed in an eminent degree with the 
benign and peaceable spirit of his Divine Master. 
After years of patient and faithful exercise, the efforts 
of himself and his co-laborers were signally blessed ; 
the scales fell from the eyes of their fellow members, 
and the Religious Society of Friends cleared itself 
from the enormous evil of holding their fellow- 
creatures in unconditional bondage. 

Having liberated their own slaves, they felt reli- 
giously concerned to labor with others, and the voice 
of the Society was repeatedly heard on behalf of the 
oppressed, in the state legislatures, and in the Con- 
gress of the United States. The public and private 
labors of some members, at this period, were very 
arduous, and they devoted much time in pleading 
the cause of the slave. Purity, integrity, and Chris- 
tian meekness, adorned, to a great extent, the lives 
of these early advocates of human rights. The long 
known and established principles of peace which 
marked the Society of Friends as a body, placed 



them in a position peculiarly calculated to gain the 
attention and confidence of slave-holders. Added 
to this, their honesty of purpose, and, in pursuance 
of this object, their exemption from political plans 
and personal aggrandizement, were undoubted ; and 
their faithful efforts had an important influence over 
the minds of many oppressors. 

For some years, this interesting subject has taken 
a deeper hold of many friends of humanity, who are 
not associated with us in religious fellowship. It 
has risen like a stream that at first reached only to 
the ankles, but is now become as a mighty river, 
apparently resistless in its course. Not only within 
our own land, but from Isles and Nations afar off, 
the responsive voice of Philanthropy is borne as on 
the wings of the wind, enforcing the practical injunc- 
tion of our blessed Lord, " Whatsoever ye would 
that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." 

The advancement of this righteous concern, and 
the increase of light upon the subject of human 
rights, are causing this system of iniquity to totter 
to its base. Hence, under the influence of fearful 
excitement, many are putting forth their strength to 
impede the progress of principles, which, if ultimately 
triumphant, will break the fetters of the slave. A 
part of the trading interests at the North is evidently 
involved with those of the South, and an influence 



is in this way exerted against the onward course 
of Emancipation ; thus h'ght and darkness antagonize 
each other. 

While all around us exhibits awful collisions, and 
the inflamed and angry passions of men, are com- 
parable to the troubled sea casting up mire and dirt, 
we, as a body of Christians, are imperiously called 
upon, to seek and rely upon that Almighty Power 
which can alone " control the whirlwind and direct 
the storm." The mantle which covered our fore- 
fathers in their labors in the cause of human rights, 
we humbly hope has fallen on us. Let us then stand 
at the mouth of the cave, as the warring elements 
are passing before us, let us wrap the face in the 
mantle, waiting to hear that still small voice, which 
speaks from heaven. 

That conflicting opinions, as to the course proper 
to be pursued, do now exist in our Society, is obvi- 
ous. But if we, as a people, dwell near the fountain 
of Divine Goodness, we shall be equally preserved 
from apathy and negligence on the one hand, as 
from intemperate zeal and creaturely activity on the 
other ; so that in the peaceable spirit and wisdom 
of Jesus, all may join in harmonious labor, as with 
the heart of one man. 

Within a few years, great events have occurred 



in relation to Slavery, and much light has been 
spread on the subject. The experience derived 
from Emancipation in the British West Indies, has 
opened a new era. In the midst of violent opposi- 
tion, the great truth has been successfully realised, 
that liberated slaves may v^ith safety immediately 
become freemen ; and that the actual interests of 
their former masters, as well as their own, may be 
greatly promoted by the change. 

On this point as well as others, it is thought much 
benefit would result from spreading correct informa- 
tion among all our members ; fully believing that 
as Friends are apprized of well authenticated facts, 
connected with this deeply affecting question as it 
now stands, that their interest and zeal will also in- 
crease in the promotion of our righteous testimony 
against Slavery ; and as we reverendy seek for Di- 
vine direction under an humbling sense of our own 
weakness, we shall be brought near to each other 
in the unity of the Spirit, which is the bond of 
peace. 

Although we would avoid entering far into par- 
ticular views, yet there is one portion of our south- 
ern brethren on whose account our sympathetic 
feelings are called forth. While we have painful 
evidence that a great body of slave-holders are in- 
fluenced by injustice and cruelty, while they stiffen 



10 

their necks, and harden their hearts, against all en- 
treaties on behalf of their oppressed slaves, we believe 
this is far from being the case with all who hold iheir 
fellow-creatures in bondage. There are many whose 
consciences are burdened by a system which they 
derived from their ancestors, who find themselves 
surrounded by iniquitous and restraining laws against 
Emancipation. A swift witness in the soul assures 
them that their obedience in this instance to the laws 
of man, is a fearful violation of the law of God. 
These feel the want of kind and judicious advisers 
to aid in extricating them from their tried situation. 

Self-interest might prompt them speedily to free 
themselves from difficulty ; the money of the slave- 
trader is temptingly held up before them ; but hu- 
manity shudders at the thought : they cannot sepa- 
rate the tender ties of family connection among their 
slaves ; they dare not receive the price of blood. 
They look on the right hand and there is none to 
help, on the left, and there is none to uphold. We 
believe they are fervently desiring the deliverance 
of master and slave, from the bondage to which both 
are subjected. Their hearts have bounded with joy 
at the success of emancipation in the British West 
Indies ; it has opened a door of hope that they also 
may be legally permitted to prove the advantage of 
requited labor, over that which is extorted by the 
lash of the oppressor. 



11 

As the secret exercises and prayers of these as- 
cend before the Lord of Sabaoth, whose ear is open 
to their cry, and as they are faithful to the convic- 
tions of duty, they will become as a city set on an 
hill ; their example will aid in dispelling the cloud of 
thick darkness which now envelopes so many in 
their various neighborhoods. 

Thus, dear brethren and sisters, we have entered 
on the duties assigned us by our late Yearly Meet- 
ing. We trust we are aware of the responsibility 
involved in our appointment, and are sensible of our 
own weakness and insufficiency for the work before 
us. But this work is the Lord's, and as we conse- 
crate ourselves to his service, attentively watching 
the pointings of duty, and moving under the banner 
of the Prince of Peace, we may hope that a blessing 
will attend our labors. 

Believing an advantage will arise in reviving the 
exercise which prevailed in our Yearly Meeting in 
1837, we subjoin the report w^hich was read and 
united with, and sent down in the Extracts of that 
year, viz : 

'* The Committee appointed by the Yearly Meet- 
ing to take into consideration the subject of Slavery, 
brought up from last year, report, 



12 

" That having deliberated on this interesting sub- 
ject, the Committee are free to propose that the 
Yearly Meeting recommend to our members, to 
embrace every right opening to maintain and exalt 
our righteous testimony against Slavery ; and where 
any of our members feel any religious scruples as 
to the use of the products of slave labor, that they 
faithfully attend thereto ; and also that the attention 
of Friends be directed to the education and moral 
improvement of the people of color in their several 
neighborhoods." 

In closing, we desire the aid of your spirits, and 
ask your earnest and faithful co-operation in the 
promotion of a cause so deeply interesting to the 
welfare of the human family. 

Signed by direction and on behalf of the Com- 
mittee, by 

John Jackson, Clerk, 



54 IP 



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